


The Labyrinth of London: Foolish Hope

by FarGreenCountrySwiftSunrise



Series: The Labyrinth of London [19]
Category: Labyrinth (1986), Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms, Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Angst, Birthday, Birthday Presents, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Guilt, Love, Many Happy Returns, Past Character Death, Presumed Dead, Romance, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-25
Updated: 2013-12-25
Packaged: 2018-01-06 01:01:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1100604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FarGreenCountrySwiftSunrise/pseuds/FarGreenCountrySwiftSunrise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lestrade comes to visit Sarah when he finds some of Jareth’s things. Post-Fall. One-shot based on “Many Happy Returns”.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Labyrinth of London: Foolish Hope

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Thin White Sleuth](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/33020) by Pika-la-Cynique. 



> The Almighty Disclaimer   
> Oh Moffat and Gatiss,   
> Henson and Doyle,   
> To you belongs all the characters   
> And none so for me!
> 
> A/N: This story was inspired by "The Thin White Sleuth..." by Pika-la-Cynique (http://pika-la-cynique.deviantart.com/art/The-Thin-White-Sleuth-277488920) of Girls Next Door fame.

Mrs. Hudson opened the door to 221 Baker Street to find the silver-haired detective inspector holding a shoe box. “Hello, dearie. Haven’t seen you around for a bit. Are you here to see the kids?”

“Just Sarah today, ma’am,” Lestrade said.

“Well, come on up than,” Mrs. Hudson said.

Lestrade made his way up the stairs, knocking on the closed door. “One second!” Sarah shouted from inside.

Sarah opened the door, squeed, and then hugged Lestrade. “Greg! I’ve missed you! How are you?”

“Doing all right. You?” Lestrade asked.

“Good, good. Do you want to take off your coat?” Sarah asked as she led Lestrade into the apartment.

“No. I am only going to stay for a minute.” Lestrade sat on the big sofa and Sarah pulled over a dining chair. 

“You saw Anderson, didn’t you?” Sarah said after they had sat down.

“How did you know that?” Lestrade said.

Sarah tilted her head and smiled gently. “You always walk up the stairs with a little less zest when you do.”

Lestrade rubbed his face. “It’s nothing you have to worry about.”

“I’m your friend and Anderson lost his job because of Jareth. I feel like…”

“Anderson lost his job because he was obsessed with proving that a dead man is still alive. It is not your responsibility.”

Sarah patted the detective’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault either, you know. I am not mad at any of you.”

“I know. I know. I don’t understand why Anderson doesn’t believe you.”

“He thinks that Jareth would never let me get hurt, but he doesn’t know the whole story,” Sarah said, “I would tell him what I know, but it was just a theory from someone who loved Jareth very dearly and I don’t know if I am allowed to share it.”

Greg nodded and the two were quiet. 

“It is a foolish hope, but not the worst kind,” Sarah said to break the silence. “What is he saying this time?”

“He says a lot of things. Mainly that ‘Jareth’ can’t stop helping people and is making his way back to London.”

“Well, I can understand the first part. Jareth was a much bigger softie than he liked to let on.”

Greg laughed. “Do you remember that puppy he found at that one crime scene?”

Sarah giggled. “That poor thing was so wet and Jareth refused to let anyone take care of her besides him. He didn’t let anyone adopt her until he knew it was to a family with nice kids.”

“I have seen job interviews with fewer requirements.”

“Same here!”

The two friends snickered together until they took a breath and entered an easy silence for several moments.

“Anyway, the reason I came.” Lestrade placed the shoe box on the table. “It’s stuff of Jareth’s. I probably should have thrown it out.”

Sarah nodded.

In the box of small items, Greg pulled out a DVD. “Yeah, um, there’s something here. I wasn’t sure if I should have kept it in. You know that video message he left you for your birthday? Practically had to threaten him. This is the uncut version. It’s very funny. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought it…”

“That sounds lovely, Greg. I’ll watch it after you leave.”

“I should probably get going,” Lestrade said.

Sarah kissed Greg’s cheek. “You are a good friend and a good man. You helped make Jareth a good man which is why I love him. Never forget that and never blame yourself.”

Greg stood up to leave. “Sorry I couldn’t get you anything proper, but many happy returns to you, Sarah.”

“Thank you, Greg. Seeing you and laughing with you was the best gift you could have given me,” Sarah said.

&%&%&%

After Lestrade left, Sarah popped in the DVD before she settled on the sofa. For a moment, the video adjusted itself. Jareth could be heard mumbling before he stood in front of the camera.

“What should I do at the end? Smile and wink? People seem to like that. Sarah doesn’t roll her eyes too much about that,” Jareth said.

“Whatever,” Greg said from behind the camera.

“Why am I doing this again? No one else has to make a video, do they?” Jareth said.

“Because you’re going to miss the dinner,” Greg said.

“Of course I’m going to miss dinner. There will be people! I am not going to embarrass Sarah because I cannot keep silent. Everyone knows that. It’s better that I’m not there.”

Sarah laughed before choking back a sob.

“Why are you missing the dinner?” Lestrade said.

“Mycroft decided he needed my services.” 

“Convenient,” Greg said with no small amount of sarcasm.

“Indeed. He probably wants to give Sarah a dukedom while I’m not there. Show me up. He likes her better than me,” Jareth said.

“The only one who likes you more than Sarah is Sarah. Not a dukedom. More like a small county,” Greg said, “Probably to allow her to get away from you.”

Sarah shook her head. Mycroft sent her an all-expenses paid trip to a spa to be taken whenever Jareth became too much. She used it almost immediately.

Jareth ruffled his still long hair. “Alright, fine. I should have written her a song, but I thought I would have more time. I always look ridiculous in these things. I just need a moment to figure out what I am going to do.”

Sarah clasped her hands together and sighed. “I can tell you what you can do: stop being dead.” 

“Okay,” Jareth said.

Sarah sat up and looked around, but realized it was only a foolish hope.

Jareth sat down in his chair in which Sarah in the present day was sitting. “Okay, I’m ready now. Hello, Sarah. I am sorry I’m not there at the moment. Happy birthday. Oh, and don’t worry, precious. I am going to be with you again, very soon.”

With a smirk and a wink, the video ended.

Sarah lay down on the couch and closed her eyes. “I believe in you Jareth. Forever isn’t that long at all. What are a few decades compared to that?”

&%&%&%

As Lestrade walked away from 221b Baker Street, he saw a man carrying a newspaper about a football match. “The game is back on!”

For a moment, Greg considered for the briefest of moments the possibility… but he stored it away with other foolish hopes.

&%&%&%

In an aging cafe in Paris, Jareth asked the waiter, “What day is it?”

“October 5th.”

After the waiter left, Jareth raised his cup of tea in the direction of London. “Happy birthday Sarah. I am going to be with you again, very soon.” 

Though many would consider it a foolish hope, it became less so as time went on.

Time was soon to be on Jareth’s side.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: It has been one year since I first published “A Study in Glitter”. In honor of that, Christmas, and the series three of _Sherlock_ , I have written this story as well as the Holmes prequel which shall be published over the course of the next several days. I was planning on just working on the Holmes prequel, but then I saw the mini-episode “Many Happy Returns” and I had to write this.
> 
> Oh, I got _Labyrinth_ on DVD for Christmas. Yay!
> 
> Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone!


End file.
